Comments (8)

Ideally you should express at the same time as the missed feed to avoid a drop in your supply. At night our bodies produce much more prolactin at night which is the hormone responsible for milk production, so it’s important not to replace night feeds with bottles entirely because that can have a massive impact on your supply particularly so early on. Personally I’d recommend if you want to give a bottle that it’s better to go for a late evening one, so say 10/11pm. Try to express for say 10 minutes per side (to help stimulate your supply and prevent it dropping rather than to use that milk, although if you can get enough for a feed that is ideal) before baby wakes and then get yourself to sleep and leave your OH (other half) to deal with that feed whilst you get to sleep until the next one. Another thing my OH (other half) did which I found helpful when out DD2 was tiny, was for him to get up with her early in the morning so I could have a couple of hours uninterrupted sleep. I’d feed her and then handover to him, she’d sleep happily on his chest for much longer than she would in her crib. He’d had a full night of sleep anyway since I’d done the night feeds, so he wasn’t overly tired and at risk of falling asleep with her. He used to go downstairs and watch boxsets for a couple of hours before he had to go to work and knowing I didn’t have to listen out for baby meant I slept really deeply during that time.
There’s some advice on this link regarding giving a breastfed baby a bottle, paced feeding etckellymom.com/bf/pumpingmoms/feeding...

Ideally you should express at the same time as the missed feed to avoid a dro...

Posted
04/05/2018

Ideally you should express at the same time as the missed feed to avoid a drop in your supply. At night our bodies produce much more prolactin at night which is the hormone responsible for milk production, so it’s important not to replace night feeds with bottles entirely because that can have a massive impact on your supply particularly so early on. Personally I’d recommend if you want to give a bottle that it’s better to go for a late evening one, so say 10/11pm. Try to express for say 10 minutes per side (to help stimulate your supply and prevent it dropping rather than to use that milk, although if you can get enough for a feed that is ideal) before baby wakes and then get yourself to sleep and leave your OH did which I found helpful when out DD2 was tiny, was for him to get up with her early in the morning so I could have a couple of hours uninterrupted sleep. I’d feed her and then handover to him, she’d sleep happily on his chest for much longer than she would in her crib. He’d had a full night of sleep anyway since I’d done the night feeds, so he wasn’t overly tired and at risk of falling asleep with her. He used to go downstairs and watch boxsets for a couple of hours before he had to go to work and knowing I didn’t have to listen out for baby meant I slept really deeply during that time.
There’s some advice on this link regarding giving a breastfed baby a bottle, paced feeding etc
https://kellymom.com/bf/pumpingmoms/feeding-tools/bottle-feeding
Sorry for the long waffley post.

I did it 3 times in those first weeks. It helped so much to just get that little bit of sleep to cope better and didn't affect my supply at all. It goes so quickly and soon you will see the gap between feeds growing.

If you need the break DO IT! Whatever makes it easier for you, i used to pump after morning feed and put it in the fridge till the evening then when it got easier i just fed her myself and put the pumped milk im the freezer and stocked up. Do whatever is easier for you, pumping shouldn’t reduce your milk but I would try your best to do it same time every day if you can. Good luck xx

I do an expressed bottle at night it gives me some sanity and my boobs a rest as they are so sore. I have come to terms with a little less milk I’m not sure I could cope feeding through the bight too! I only get about 4 hours sleep on a good night and I’m exhausted x

I've just expressed a little this morning to do this with as I'm knackered, 2.5 weeks in but last 3 nights have been tough and I really need some sleep! I'm planning to go to bed about 9.30pm and hubby can give her it when she's rooting. I'm not worrying about supply too much at the minute just going to give it a try tonight and see what happens.

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